Speaking of him, what's he been up to these days? Haven't heard a thing about him since he left.

Either he left the office because he wanted to step down, because he was having health issues (quite possible), or the cardinals made him step down for some reason. In the first case he probably wants to keep his head down and stay out of the limelight, in the second case he might not be able to draw much attention, and in the third case he's being kept under wraps by others. No real surprise he isn't making headlines.

Yup, the RC church has managed to find the best spin doctor that I've ever seen in action. He's superficially turned around the image of his office, refreshing the false hopes given by his employers. Rat-singer was most probably about to die in a horrid fire of his own creation, but resigned to make way for his diametric opposite just in the nick of time.

I mega-loathe the RC church for what it has done to society throughout the ages, and no Pope Bojangles will ever convince me that the church as an organisation isn't rotten to it's core, and has been that way for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Speaking of him, what's he been up to these days? Haven't heard a thing about him since he left.

Either he left the office because he wanted to step down, because he was having health issues (quite possible), or the cardinals made him step down for some reason. In the first case he probably wants to keep his head down and stay out of the limelight, in the second case he might not be able to draw much attention, and in the third case he's being kept under wraps by others. No real surprise he isn't making headlines.

From what I know from my Catholic family, he was having serious health problems and it was a good excuse to encourage him to move on. At his last major mass, he was blind in one eye, had trouble walking and could not lift the eucharist during the presentation of gifts. All in all, won't be missed. Hope his health improves though...

uttertosh:I mega-loathe the RC church for what it has done to society throughout the ages, and no Pope Bojangles will ever convince me that the church as an organisation isn't rotten to it's core, and has been that way for hundreds and hundreds of years.

* In early December, the Vatican categorically denied a media report that Pope Francis has been slipping out at night to visit the homeless in Rome. The stories, while appealing and in keeping with Francis' intense concern for the poor, are "simply not true," Vatican officials said.

uttertosh:Yup, the RC church has managed to find the best spin doctor that I've ever seen in action. He's superficially turned around the image of his office, refreshing the false hopes given by his employers. Rat-singer was most probably about to die in a horrid fire of his own creation, but resigned to make way for his diametric opposite just in the nick of time.

I mega-loathe the RC church for what it has done to society throughout the ages, and no Pope Bojangles will ever convince me that the church as an organisation isn't rotten to it's core, and has been that way for hundreds and hundreds of years.

So you admit that you're so biased on this issue that you're completely incapable of looking at things in anything close to a measured and objective way, and that any statement you make will be so colored by your bias that it can't be taken seriously.

Basically, you're telling us that we should completely ignore everything you might ever say on this subject. Good to know, but I don't know why you'd advertize it.

* In early December, the Vatican categorically denied a media report that Pope Francis has been slipping out at night to visit the homeless in Rome. The stories, while appealing and in keeping with Francis' intense concern for the poor, are "simply not true," Vatican officials said.

Keep in mind, this is the same Vatican that tends to go behind Pope Francis every time he says something and tell us thatwhat he said isn't what he meant and that this is really what he meant.

For all of you calling the Pope a spin doctor, it's the Vatican "spokespeople" who are the spin doctors. The more Pope Francisrocks the boat, the more of this we are going to see.

I love this former janitor turned bouncer turned priest. He didn't want to be Pope.You don't think he knew he'd be facingall kinds of resistance from the Church? He knew it going in. He prayed that he wouldn't be chosen, but in the end, hewas and the rest is history.

AgentPothead:I love this pope as much as the next atheist, but if anybody actually thinks this changes 2000 years of shiat then you are pretty short sighted.

He is not trying to change history thats next to impossible with out a big ass army. I think he is trying to carve a new path for Catholics. So far he is doing a really knock out job Poping it up across the globe. I dunno if has done it but the Catholic church really does need to address the sex abuse that has went on for 500 years. The sooner they admit to it and start cleaning house the better it will be for the church in the long run.

digitalrain:I love this former janitor turned bouncer turned priest. He didn't want to be Pope.You don't think he knew he'd be facingall kinds of resistance from the Church? He knew it going in. He prayed that he wouldn't be chosen, but in the end, hewas and the rest is history.

Here's the thing, though: By all accounts he was exactly the same person before being elected. This was a guy who lived in poverty, took a bus to work and spent plenty of time preaching and helping the poor. The cardinals that elected him knew damned well what they were going to get. Nobody is shaking their head in disbelief and saying "My GOD, we've elected a liberal. If only we had known!"

I actually read the headline. Out line. In a deep announcer's voice.I am agnostic, but this Pope seems pretty cool.Of course, it's not like he sneaks out of the Vatican to smoke a joint with some poor Italian kid.